


the calculations and confusions of a reprogrammed imperial droid

by reystars



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: F/M, also K-2SO is sassy af, basically K-2SO is trying to understand wtf is wrong with Cassian, turns out droids are just really bad at understanding heart eyes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 18:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9337751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reystars/pseuds/reystars
Summary: K-2SO knows Captain Cassian Andor better than anyone else. So why don't his circuits provide him an explanation for his strange behavior around Jyn Erso?





	

K-2SO had known Captain Cassian Andor for a very long time. If droids had some sort of programming akin to friendship, K-2 was absolutely certain that is what he would call it.

He’d watched Cassian very carefully throughout their partnership, been with him through battles and fights and had even, on occasion, seen Cassian in his most vulnerable moments. (K-2 made sure to offer to delete Cassian’s tears from his memory bank should his dignity call for it). In fact, by the time they were assigned their mission to Jedha, K-2SO was positive that he understood every aspect of Cassian Andor to the point where he could accurately determine the probability of his decision making to the 98th percentile.

However, he was not prepared for the arrival of Jyn Erso.

Their first encounter on the ship preparing to leave for Jedha left K-2SO in the presence of an extremely volatile criminal. As K-2 fiddled with the control unit on board he made sure to keep his sensors in tune with the woman as she rifled through Cassian’s bag. Without alerting her to the knowledge that he’d seen her pull the blaster out, he announced himself.

“Jyn Erso. Prisoner Six Two Nine Five Alpha. I’m K-2SO, a reprogrammed imperial droid.”

His sensors picked up her slight flinch at hearing her name, though rifling through his data bank and looking through her file did not provide any answers as to why.

“I’m assuming you’ll be joining us on this trip to Jedha,” K-2SO said, glancing out the open port door at Cassian deep in conversation. He saw that Jyn was doing the same thing, hand gripped around the hilt of the blaster.

“This is a bad idea. I think so, and so does Cassian.”

K-2 analyzed Jyn’s movements, calculating whether or not she’d pull the blaster up at any moment. From the rigidity of her posture and the defensive stature, the probability of her using it was going up one percent every 30 seconds.

“But what do I know?” If droids could sigh, K-2SO would have exhausted his fuel ports by doing it. “My specialty is _just_ strategic analysis.”

Jyn ignored him and said, “Do you know what they’re saying?”

“Yes,” K-2SO lied. His sensors could not pick up sound from that far away, but he was not about to let her know it. He climbed into the cockpit.

“I see you’ve met K-2,” he heard Cassian say a few moments later as he climbed onto the ship.

“Charming,” Jyn replied in a tone that K-2’s circuits interpreted as insincere.

“He tends to say whatever comes into his circuits. A byproduct of the reprogramming.”

K-2 did not like Cassian’s casual, almost friendly tone of voice. Did he not realize he was speaking to an extremely unpredictable criminal? K-2, however, said nothing. He was simply waiting for Cassian to realize that Jyn had stolen the blaster from his bag.

When he heard Cassian turn around to begin to walk toward the cockpit, K-2 jerked his head around, adjusting his voice modulator to a higher volume for emphasis.

“Why does _she_ get a blaster, and I don’t?”

He saw Cassian freeze, tripping his calculations for the second time that day. It was unlike Cassian to not notice a weapon in the hand of an erratic enemy. He adusted his neck to better see Cassian hold his hand out.

“I know how to use it,” Jyn responded, her defensive posture still showing a high probability of an outburst.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” said Cassian. “Give it to me.”

“We’re going to Jedha. That’s a war zone.” There was no surrender evident in her posture. “Trust goes both ways.”

From his position in the cockpit K-2SO could not see Cassian’s face. But he saw his shoulders tighten for a moment, and his sensors could pick up the tension in his body. This did not worry K-2SO. He knew Cassian, and he knew Cassian would take the blaster away so they could leave in peace. Cassian was not one to take chances.

And then Cassian turned around, hauling himself into the cockpit.

For a millisecond, K-2SO was sure that his sensors had short-circuited.

“You’re letting her keep it?” K-2 burst out. He was continuing to calculate fifteen different scenarios in his head, 10 out of which he ended up with fried wires. 5 of them had Cassian dead.

Cassian ignored him, working on getting the ship off the ground. K-2SO couldn’t help but persist.

“Would you like to know the probability of her using it against you?”

Still no response, so he continued.

“It’s high. It’s very high.”

* * *

 While waiting for Jyn to finish up her meeting with the high ranks in the Rebel Alliance, Cassian cornered K-2SO

K-2, having been informed that spouting out the probability of death on the mission Cassian had been proposing to everyone as he circled through the base trying to find recruits, had been banished to the corner by the ship. He was simply trying to be effective by making sure the recruits were just as committed as Cassian was. Apparently he had not been helpful.

“K-2,” Cassian said, placing a hand on K-2SO’s long metal arm. This was a move that K-2 had learned to interpret meant that Cassian wanted his full attention. He looked down at Cassian.

“Thank you for agreeing to come with us,” he said. K-2 nodded. It had been the logical decision. He knew Cassian better than any other droid, and would be immensely helpful in infiltrating the Imperial base on Scarif.

Cassian glanced around and K-2SO’s sensors noted that his heart rate had picked up slightly.

“I need you to promise me something, K-2.”

K-2SO tried to analyze Cassian’s face and for the 23rd time since their mission had began, his circuits failed him. Cassian’s emotions were hard to analyze on a regular day, but as of late he’d been showing some things that K-2 was beyond understanding. Especially when Jyn was around. Without being able to anticipate what Cassian would say next, K-2 simply responded.

“Of course, Cassian.”

“I need you to be there for Jyn. You have to. Will you promise me that? That if something happens to me you’ll make sure that she’s okay?”

K-2SO looked down at his friend. Cassian looked tired, but there was something else in his features that K-2 did not recognize. He looked more alive, somehow, for a human. K-2SO nodded and Cassian stretched his lips into what K-2 knew was his version of a smile, though it probably would not mean much to anyone else. Then Cassian glanced behind K-2 and he rushed away.

From behind, K-2 watched as he talked to Jyn, most likely explaining his recruits and his plan. As the men and women around them dispersed to prepare to board the ship, K-2SO watched as Cassian and Jyn gravitated toward each other. Their pattern of movement reminded K-2SO of the orbit of a planet, though he could not tell who was orbiting who.

He took a few steps forward and Jyn looked up at him.

“Jyn,” he said. Though her prisoner file automatically flashed through his circuits as he mentioned her name, he found it much easier to ignore now. “I’ll be there for you. Cassian said I have to.”

Though he included the last part to make sure she did not think he was getting too friendly with her, he was surprised to see a smile on her face. That smile turned immediately toward Cassian and K-2SO realized that smile might have been meant for him all along, though human facial expressions were often very nuanced and difficult to calculate.

K-2SO watched Cassian watch Jyn, that something different still on his face, his heart rate bugging his sensors, the heat rising to his face completely imperceptible to anyone around but K-2. Yes, Cassian was different now. And K2-SO surprised even himself when he realized he had really meant it when he said he would be there for Jyn.

Cassian was his friend, and that’s what he would want.


End file.
